Sacred Whispers Blog

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

Colossians 3:13

One of the hardest truths to accept is that some people spend their lives waiting for an apology that may never come. They remain stuck, unable to move forward, because they feel the closure they need hinges on those two words: “I’m sorry.” If this resonates with you, can I apologize on their behalf?

God desires for you to move forward—not aimlessly, but with healing. He does not want your pain to hold you captive. So, can I apologize to you ‘for’ the person who refuses to apologize?

I am sorry for every thing and every person who has ever hurt you.

I am sorry for every person who never showed up for you when you needed them most.

I am sorry for the racism and injustice you experienced.

I am sorry for the verbal abuse that broke your spirit.

I am sorry for the sexual abuse that scarred your soul.

I am sorry for the abandonment you endured.

I am sorry for every moment someone failed to see your worth, to choose you, or to value you.

I am sorry they left. I am sorry they let you go.

I am sorry. I am so deeply sorry.

A CALL TO INVITE GOD INTO YOUR PAIN

But can we invite God into these wounded areas of your heart? Your pain doesn’t have to define you, nor does it have to be a prison. Pain, when surrendered to God, can find purpose. But managing it on your own is exhausting and unfulfilling.

God longs to free you from all the moments where no one encouraged you.  He longs to free you from all the things that have been said to you, and all the things not said to you enough.  Holding on to that offense, that pain, is sabotaging your future. Holding on to it will only trap you in a cycle of resentment and hurt.

The psalmist reminds us of God’s care for the brokenhearted: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18 NIV). He is not indifferent to your pain. He waits patiently, ready to heal you and bring you freedom.

HEALING THROUGH GIVING

One of the most powerful ways to heal from offense is to take the initiative and become the person you’ve longed for others to be to you.  If you’ve been yearning for encouragement, recognition, or appreciation, ask God to lead you to someone who feels discouraged, invisible, and undervalued—and pour into them everything you’ve desired for yourself.

This act of giving—of being a light for others—has a transformative power. Jesus Himself reminds us in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Choose to encourage others like crazy. Highlight the small, wonderful details about them. Appreciate what others bring to the table. There may be unresolved tension between you and someone you love all because you feel unnoticed, unappreciated, and undervalued by them.

When you encourage others, you will find encouragement springing up in your own life. When you appreciate others, you’ll discover gratitude growing within you.

CHOOSE TO BE FREE

Stop allowing offense to put a wedge between you and those you love. Offense is a poison that seeps into every area of life. It creates wedges between you and those you love, and it warps your ability to see the beauty in relationships. Choose today to stop allowing the offense to dictate your future. Take steps to notice and appreciate others. Value them for who they are and what they bring to the table. Whatever you do, don’t live another day of your life stifled by the poison of offense.

This choice is not always easy, but it is worth it.  Corrie ten Boom, a Holocaust survivor and remarkable Christian, once shared how she forgave the very prison guard who had tormented her during her time in a Nazi concentration camp. She said, “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.”

If she could let go of such unimaginable pain, we, too, can choose freedom over offense. Forgiveness does not excuse the hurt, but it releases you from its grip and allows God to step in as the healer of your wounds.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank You for being a God who sees every wound and knows every pain. Today, I surrender the hurts that have kept me captive. I give You the offenses I’ve held onto, and I ask for Your healing power to restore my heart. Help me to walk in forgiveness, not because the offender deserves it, but because You desire freedom for me. Teach me to encourage, value, and love others in the same way You love me. Thank You for being close to the brokenhearted and saving those crushed in spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DAILY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

Take a moment to journal about the areas of your life where you feel hurt, unseen, or undervalued. Write down the names of people who have caused you pain and bring them before God in prayer, asking for the strength to forgive.

Next, identify someone in your life who may feel discouraged, unnoticed, or unappreciated. Reach out to them this week with words of encouragement or an act of kindness. Let your healing begin by becoming the blessing you’ve longed to receive.